Tazbot
Tazbot was a heavyweight robot from Team Mutant Robots, created by Donald Hutson, that competed in every season of BattleBots. It was a teardrop-shaped robot armed with a custom pickaxe on a rotating turret. The pickaxe was effective as both a flipping and a spinning weapon, the unconventional shape and armament giving Tazbot an advantage over many of its opponents. The combination of turret and lifter also allowed it to self-right from any angle. Tazbot's wheels were cambered at a 60-degree angle, which gave it better control and grip when making sharp turns. Tazbot proved very resilient in combat, its armor was shock mounted to the base, and its rubber-mounted bracket wedges diverted hits away from its body. Thought Tazbot never won a title, its unique appearance and method of fighting made it a constant crowd favorite, and it claimed the "Coolest Robot" award from Season 4.0. Tazbot took fourth place in Long Beach, won the royal rumble in Season 2.0, and reached the semifinals in Season 4.0, as well as builder and driver Donald Hutson claiming Season 4.0's "Best Driver" award. Robot History Long Beach 1999 Tazbot went through the first round by a bye and its first opponent was Rhino. In the match, Tazbot got a few lifts on Rhino and Rhino got a few hits on Tazbot before the Co2 ran dry. The match ended with Tazbot winning on a judges decision and advanced to the next round against Razer. Tazbot got its sharpened pickaxe under Razer rather quickly and tipped them onto the arena saws. Razer flipped it self-right back over just in time for a couple rides through the floor saws. Tazbot got a second flip and Razer's topside was pressed on to the arena saws, cutting their cables to flip back over. Tazbot won by KO and it was now put up against BioHazard. Tazbot moved slowly hoping to test its new tail and anti wedge devises that circled its perimeter. The only chance Tazbot had was when BioHazard drove itself onto the killsaws and one of its skirts was lifted for a second. Tazbot soon found itself pushed against the arena wall where BioHazard got underneath Tazbot and flipped it onto the killsaws. During the remaining four minutes, Tazbot tried to self-right with its arm before it was counted out. Tazbot came back for the loser's bracket where it eventually fought Punjar. Tazbot went straight at Punjar and rotated its sharpened weapon under their side of Punjar. Tazbot lifted Punjar, but couldn't flip it over. Tazbot dragged Punjar to the killsaws right before the time ran out. Tazbot won on a judges decision and its next opponent was a rematch against Rhino. Tazbot constantly tried to pin Rhino, but Rhino started striking its spike onto Tazbot's armor. Tazbot started pushing Rhino towards the killsaws and was holding strong before it suffered a delayed battery failure, caused by a direct blow to one of the batteries and making a low battery error code stopped Tazbot. Tazbot lost by KO and secured fourth place. Tazbot wasn't finished, however, as it was one of 13 robots to enter the heavyweight rumble. Tazbot went at every robot it could, trying to smash and flip any thing that moved .The only lifts Tazbot got were on frenZy, Kill-O-Amp and Razer before a fire broke out and the event was paused to extinguish the burning robot. In the end, Voltarc lifted both Razer (who was biting into Frenzy) and Frenzy (who was smashing Razer repeatedly) into the air for a great finally. Tazbot's turret had quit working once again but made one last feeble attempt to kock the elevated pile of flailing robots over to one side. Tazbot had no such luck budging the 600lb tower but was still able to move when the round was over. In the end, Razer won the heavyweight rumble. Las Vegas 1999 Tazbot once again went through the first round by a bye and its first opponent was Mortis. In the match, Mortis went straight at Tazbot, swinging its axe on Tazbot's shell. These hits left some holes on Tazbot and Tazbot started lifting the front of Mortis. Once Mortis was about a foot in the air, there was a structural failure in the turret and the arm actuator snapped. Both robots went pushing each other until the time ran out. Mortis won on a judges decision and Tazbot was eliminated. Tazbot wasn't finished, however, as it entered the heavyweight rumble at the end of the tournament. Tazbot went straight at Blunt Force Trauma in the beginning and started lifting Razer, where it was eventually flipped. For the majority of the rumble, Tazbot went back for Mortis, and started lifting it. Unfortunately, Tazbot's arm was jammed with its arm up and was later lifted against a flipped Mortis and Razer by the arm of BioHazard before the rumble ended. Season 1.0 Tazbot once again went through the first round by a bye and its first opponent was the reigning heavyweight champion Vlad the Impaler. Tazbot went straight at Vlad and started lifting it towards the killsaws. Vlad escaped and went straight at Tazbot, where it was flipped and pushed against the entrance ramp. Tazbot was flipped back to its wheels by Vlad and Tazbot was lifted again against the spike strip. Tazbot was flipped and righted again but started smoking after many lifts by Vlad. Tazbot was once again lifted from Vlad and slammed it against the arena wall, where Vlad reversed Tazbot (as it was on the top rear of Vlad) and the ramrods flipped it. Vlad pushed the flipped Tazbot against the corner of the arena before the time ran out. Vlad won on a 9-0 judges decision and Tazbot was eliminated. Tazbot wasn't finished, however, as it entered the heavyweight royal rumble at the end of the tournament. It performed well as it survived until the end of the rumble, but lost to BioHazard. Season 2.0 Tazbot's first opponent of the season was against Decimator. In the match, Decimator zoomed across the arena at an incredible pace, hitting Tazbot which was still in its square, and flying over the top of Tazbot. Decimator then drove across the arena before taking a shot from the killsaws, followed by Tazbot pushing Decimator into the spike strips. Decimator then charged across the arena again, but took a massive hit to the front wedge by the killsaws, which bent part of it upwards. Decimator then pushed Tazbot, before charging in for a ram. This hit actually took the entire front wedge of Decimator off, leaving it with even more ground clearance than before. Tazbot then chased Decimator around the BattleBox before getting its turret arm underneath Decimator and lifting it slightly, but Decimator escaped. Decimator began emitting CO2 and uncontrollably drove itself into the spike strips, before having a side panel ripped off by the killsaws. Decimator then crashed into another spike strip. Tazbot then drove to where Decimator was, and lifted Decimator up into the air, where CO2 was coming out of Decimator quickly, as the tank must have been ruptured. Tazbot then pulled Decimator off of the spike strip, and Decimator attempted to push Tazbot but was unable to move it anywhere. Decimator then charged at a killsaw, taking more damage and getting flipped upside down. Tazbot began whacking Decimator with its turret, but couldn't move for a while, before driving towards another corner and attempting to whack Decimator again, but couldn't get out of its position once more. Tazbot won the fight on a 32-13 judges decision and was now pitted up against Kill-O-Amp. Kill-O-Amp went straight at Tazbot, who, for several seconds remained motionless, but as soon as Kill-O-Amp came close, Tazbot moved in and started lifting the front end of Kill-O-Amp, lifting it off the ground for several seconds as Kill-O-Amp stopped moving. Kill-O-Amp's drivers report that they are having control problems and couldn't move, presumably due to radio interference. After careful consideration, Kill-O-Amp was being counted out and Tazbot was declared the winner. Tazbot was now in the quaterfinals and it was a rematch against Vlad the Impaler. Season 3.0 Due to being a previous quaterfinalist, Tazbot was allowed to skip the preliminary rounds of Season 3.0, where it eventually fought BattleRat. Tazbot won on a 34-11 judges decision and it advanced to the next round against GoldDigger. Wins/Losses * Wins: 10 * Losses: 8 Merchandise Any appearances by Tazbot in merchandise are listed below: *Tazbot/Grip N' Grappler *Tazbot/Metal Mechanics *Tazbot/MiniBot *Tazbot/BattleBots: Beyond The BattleBox Trivia *Tazbot made a brief cameo on CSI in the episode Precious Metal. *Tazbot had also competed in the American Robot Wars tournaments in 1996 and 1997 under the name of Tazz. In those tournaments, it fought against other would-be BattleBots competitors such as The Master, Snake, DooAll, Mauler, Punjar, Red Scorpion, frenZy, Monster and Nemesis. Category:BattleBots Competitors Category:Heavyweight Robots Category:"Best Driver" Winners Category:Robots in the Combat Robot Hall Of Fame Category:Heavyweight Quarterfinalists Category:Heavyweight Semifinalists Category:Robots profiled in The Official Guide Category:Robots armed with unique weapons Category:Robots armed with lifting weapons Category:Robots that fought on television Category:Robots that appeared on television for all 5 seasons Category:Robots with more Wins than Losses Category:Royal Rumble Winners Category:Royal Rumble Participants Category:US Robot Wars competitors